Forms Of Hindu Devotion

Forms of Hindu Devotion
Hinduism tends to carry a complex façade, but it is merely a religion which is wide in scope. It has its basis in truth, acceptance, and high moral values and its beauty liesin its true simplicity. Hinduism is a highly spiritual religion and those who practice it do so by worship and devotion. Hinduism sees God in all things, dead or alive. There is one Supreme Being whomanistests itself into multiple forms. The Supreme Being is a concept beyond comprehension; He is both the mother and father of the universe. In order to completely understand God and come close toHim, one must start with devotion. Devotion refers to the commitment and loyalty toward one or multiple deities. It is the intense love and desire for a person to feel united with and blessed by God.To have bhakti, or devotion, is to have dedication and detachment from material things. Complete devotion will result in the bestowment of God’s grace. With bhakti comes the partaking in variousmethods of worship. Worship is conducted by performing regular rituals for Gods and Goddesses. Pujas are a form of worship. It is a traditional process of showing respect to God through prayer. Whileconducting puja a devotee experiences darshan; he or she has direct contact with the deity. Offerings are given to images of deities (who embody the actual deity), and in return, a devotee will experiencedarshan and earn good karma. Sacred practices usually occur within homes, shrines, and temples; each of these places are connected through spirituality, yet different depending on the devotee and hisor her individual style of devotion and worship.
Household worship is unique to each individual. In the center of almost all practicing Hindu’s house, rich or poor, is a shrine. Images of the deitiesthat the household chooses to worship are located here, and daily prayers are conducted here. Daily offerings are given to these well taken care of images. Family relations are of utmost importance...